Flow meter

ABSTRACT

A simple, passive and rugged device for measuring the flow rate of liquid. A variable area obstruction valve, a differential pressure sensor and a densitometer are combined in a single housing to provide for a highly accurate and precise measure of mass flow.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.60/979,476, filed Oct. 12, 2007, incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention is generally directed to flow meters and moreparticularly pertains to a mass flow meter. The device measures bothvolumetric flow as well as density to yield mass flow.

Aircraft engine and airframe designers seek highly accurate, wide flowrange, fast response, and rugged flow meters to measure the flow rate ofhydrocarbon based fuel (jet fuel) for the purposes of engine control.Heretofore used volumetric flow meters have a limited range and areincapable of providing the accuracy that can be exploited by modernengine control systems. What is needed is a simple, passive, accurateand reliable method of measuring mass flow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a volumetric flow meter in combinationwith a densitometer to provide a mass flow measurement. The volumetricflow meter relies on an variable area obstruction meter to yield anextended turn-down ratio without active controlling mechanisms and adifferential pressure sensor to measure the pressure difference acrossthe obstruction. The densitometer relies on capacitance tubes to yield adensity measurement of the fluid passing there through. A fueltemperature sensor serves to correct both the pressure bridge signal aswell as the density signal to enable a highly accurate and precise massflow computation to be performed.

These and other features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of the preferred embodimentswhich, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrateby way of example the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram generally illustrating the system of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the flowmeter of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of FIG. 4 showingdetails of the obstruction valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram providing an overall illustration of thesystem 12 of the present invention. The pressure differential across anobstruction positioned in the flow path of a liquid is measured viapressure bridge 13 and processed at 14 to yield a pressure signal whichis proportional to volumetric flow rate while the capacitance of theflowing liquid is measured at 15 and processed at 16 to yield a densitysignal. The temperature of the liquid is measured at 18 and is used inthe correction of both the pressure bridge signal as well as thedensitometer signal. An additional correction 20 of the pressure bridgesignal is made as a function of the temperature of the pressuredifferential sensor itself. The temperature sensor is integrated intothe diaphragm of the sensor as the diaphragm temperature may bedifferent than the liquid or environmental temperatures. The finalcomputation of mass flow is made at 22.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the flowmeter 24 of present invention. The flow meter housing 26 has a lumen 28defined therein that extends therethrough from its proximal end 30 toits distal end 32. The housing accommodates a volumetric flow meter 34and a densitometer 36. The volumetric flow meter includes a variablearea obstruction valve 38 that is positioned within the flow path.Pressure measurement passages 40, 42 extending from either side of theobstruction valve allow a differential pressure sensor 44 to measure thepressure drop across the obstruction. The area of the obstruction isvariable to the extent that flexible petal valves 46 extending therefromdeflect as flow rate increases to thereby gradually decrease the area ofobstruction and increase the flow area. The petal valve stiffness isselected to so as to accommodate the anticipated range of flow rates.The resulting reduced change in differential pressure over a given flowrange allows the flow meter to be useful over a wider flow range. Thevariable venturi throat design is self regulating so its flow rateversus flow area relationship will be repeatable and therefore flow rateversus pressure drop is predictable. As a result, a rangeability of 30to 1 is achievable and can readily accommodate for example, a flow rangeof 200 to 6000 pph. The obstruction valve additionally includes asupport structure 48 that is disposed on its downstream side whichserves to prevent the petal valves from creasing or taking a set andfunctions as a stop. By preventing the petal valves from being damagedboth the repeatability of flow measurement is enhanced and service lifeis extended.

The densitometer 36 consists of a capacitance probe in the form of a setof concentric tubes 50, 52, 54, 56 through which the fuel flows. Thedielectric constant of the fuel is measured as it passes through thetubes. Since the fuel density can be correlated to the dielectricconstant, it can be used as a density sensor when the signal iscorrected by fuel temperature. The fuel temperature measurement isachieved by bonding a film temperature sensor 58 to the densitometersurface. This temperature signal is used to correct the density readingand the mass flow computation which is dependent on fuel properties,which vary predictably with temperature. Since the fuel type is avariable but known to be within limits, the fuel density is a randomvariable within known limits. The density sensor allows a significantreduction of system error due to this random variable, since it isrelated directly to the mass flow measurement error. The product of thevolumetric flow rate and the density, corrected by fuel temperature,allows for a precise mass flow measurement.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment of aflow meter 60 of the present invention for measuring flow throughorifice 69. Some of the modifications included the incorporation of atemperature sensor 62 within the pressure differential sensor, theincorporation of an orifice valve regulator 64 to serve as a petal valvesupport structure and the location of a low thermal mass temperatureprobe 66 within the fuel stream. The orifice valve regulator serves tovary the valve length and stiffness as the valve deflects open. Theregulator thereby controls the orifice effective area as a function offluid flow rate. Such feature also prevents excessive deflection thatwould result in valve deformation.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the flow meter shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a close up view of the obstruction valve 68 of the flow meterdepicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the configuration and orientation ofthe petal valves 70. Flow is directed through multiple orifices 64 tocreate a pressure drop that is proportional to volumetric flow rate. Theflexible petal valves seal the orifices at zero flow rate and graduallydeflect to increase flow area as flow rate increase.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that theinvention be limited except by the appended claims.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A flow meter comprising: a housing having a lumenextending there through for communicating a continuous flow of fuel; afirst portion residing inside the housing comprising a volumetric flowmeter that measures a volumetric rate of the continuous flow of fuel asit flows through the lumen, and generates a first signal correspondingto the volumetric flow rate; a second portion residing in the housingcomprising a densitometer that measures the density of the continuousflow of fuel as it flows through the lumen, and generating a secondsignal corresponding to the density; and a processor residing in thehousing for processing the first and second signals and determining amass flow rate.
 12. The flow meter of claim 11, further comprising atemperature sensor residing in the housing generating a third signalcorresponding to the temperature of the fuel as it flows through thelumen, wherein the processor processes the third signal with the firstand second signal to determine the mass flow rate.
 13. The flow meter ofclaim 11 wherein the densitometer comprises a capacitance probe thatgenerates a fourth signal corresponding to a capacitance of the fuel asit flows through the lumen, wherein the processor processes the fourthsignal with the first, second, and third signals to determine the massflow rate.